Community Feedback: The Tragic Death Of Silverio Villegas-González

Photo: Kevin. Gosztola

The Elmwood Park Advocate published deputy editor Sara Lindsay’s first article for the newsletter, and the response to her heartfelt column about the tragic death of Silverio Villegas-González was encouraging.

By and large, most readers were in favor of Sara’s message, which was a call for empathy and a plea for neighbors to recognize that we cannot just put our heads down and pray that ICE will not come for any of us.

From Sara: “I’m grateful to see so many of you taking the time to read this and show your support. Standing together against ICE and the harm they cause gives me hope that we can prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again.”

One reader, Annie, understood that Sara was arguing that everyone, “immigrant or otherwise,” deserves “a sense of belonging and safety.”

On Saturday, September 20, at 1 p.m. at the Elmwood Park Public Library, the Elmwood Park Advocate will be holding another “Community Conversation” that picks up on this essential point. We welcome everyone from the village to share their perspectives on migration and what it means to belong to this neighborhood. (RSVP here.)

Let’s get to more of the community feedback that we received.

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From Don and an anonymous poster

There was no attempt to present what Sara wrote as neutral reporting, and there was no need for Sara to “balance” her words intended to humanize Villegas-González with official statements put out by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). (Though we will note, a part of DHS’s initial statement was referenced.)

It did not “devolve” into an “opinion piece.” Rather, the column created a space for residents of Elmwood Park to grapple with a terrible incident.

Also from Don

Don had a lot to say about the way in which Sara wrote about the incident. In fact, he asked about submitting an article to the newsletter. We are open to publishing letters addressed to the publication.

On this claim that Villegas-González dragged an ICE officer, DHS has yet to present conclusive evidence.

Also, many people like Villegas-González react viscerally. They believe they are being robbed or abducted, since ICE agents mask up and conceal their identity.

If individuals targeted by ICE endanger the community by fleeing, blame ICE for provoking such a situation through their tactics.

From Melissa

Melissa shared her frustration with several residents, who posted their whataboutism. “What about the officer?” “What about Silverio fleeing?” “What about the fact that Silverio was here ‘illegally’”? And so on.

The Chicagoland area is under siege by ICE, and several communities are dealing with the trauma caused by unaccountable and unchecked federal agents snatching family, friends, and coworkers off their streets. It’s too bad that care or compassion for what these communities are enduring irritates a certain group of people.

From Raffaele, admin for the Elmwood Park Community Updates group

We applaud Raffaele for the reality check. The vast majority of our families migrated at one time or another, and there is a certain soullessness to—as Raffaele put it—“justifying the murder and detention of people” for seeking the same hope and prosperity our parents, grandparents, or great grandparents once sought.

Finally, a fair amount of people endorsed Norma’s suggestion to show up to a community vigil on Friday, September 19, at 6 p.m. at the First Methodist Church of Franklin Park.

We need solidarity and support for each other. Perhaps, we’ll see a few of you at the vigil tonight.